Canon Marketing Japan and JTB Co-Develop Educational DX Program for High Schools: Launch of 'Experiential DX Exploration Lab with XR'

Canon Marketing Japan Inc. (President: Masachika Adachi, hereinafter Canon MJ) and JTB Corp. (President & CEO: Eijiro Yamakita, hereinafter JTB) have jointly developed an educational DX program for high schools utilizing XR (Cross Reality)*1 technology, titled 'Experiential DX Exploration Lab with XR' (hereinafter, this program), and will begin providing it to high schools and local governments nationwide from April 16, 2026. This program is a learning program that aligns with the purpose of the 'High School DX Acceleration Project (DX High School)'*2 promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). By bringing companies' advanced technologies and real-world use cases into the educational setting, students can experientially learn the essence of DX. Through experiential content and workshops utilizing XR technology, it nurtures students' independent thinking and expressive skills, supporting learning that connects with society. ■ Background of Program Development Under the national strategy setting the digital sector as a foundation for growth, the cultivation of digital talent has become an urgent social issue. Starting in FY2024, MEXT has designated over 1,000 high schools nationwide as 'DX High Schools', promoting the enhancement of exploratory and practical digital education from the high school level. Educational institutions are demanding educational programs that utilize external talent with specialized knowledge and realize practical learning in collaboration with universities and companies. Based on this background, Canon MJ and JTB jointly developed this program as an educational DX program that achieves high-quality exploratory learning while minimizing the burden on schools, by integrating corporate technology and expertise with educational program management know-how. ■ Purpose of Program Development The purpose of this program is to provide high-quality exploratory learning while solving the issues faced by educational institutions, by fusing learning content that utilizes Canon MJ's advanced XR technology and practical experience with JTB's cultivated know-how in planning and managing educational programs. Furthermore, it will lead to the creation of digital talent, which is a societal challenge. ■ What is 'Experiential DX Exploration Lab with XR'? It is a learning program where students learn how digital technology is utilized in society and business scenes through experiential content and workshops using XR technologies such as MR (Mixed Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality). By using practical examples of XR business and experience cultivated in the field as teaching materials, it provides more practical learning. Furthermore, through visits to universities and companies and exploratory activities, it creates opportunities for students to think about their own futures. It aims to help students understand the essence of DX and nurture independent thinking, expressive skills, and the ability to communicate. ■ Roles of Each Company ・Canon MJ Provides experiential educational programs and learning materials utilizing the MR technology 'MREAL'*3, and is in charge of program operation and execution. ・JTB In charge of program sales and program operation/execution support, leveraging its educational program management know-how and nationwide sales network in the education market and local governments. ■ Future Developments We will proceed with offering this program to high schools and local governments nationwide. We will deploy it primarily to DX High School designated schools and local governments/schools promoting the development of digital talent equipped with problem-solving thinking, contributing to the development of next-generation digital talent through practical learning. *1. XR: Abbreviation for 'Cross Reality' or 'Extended Reality'. A generic term for technologies (VR, AR, MR) that merge the real world and digital virtual worlds. *2. A support project led by MEXT to strengthen the development of digital and math/science talent at the high school level. *3. An MR (Mixed Reality) system developed by Canon Inc. and provided by Canon IT Solutions Inc. A video technology that merges real space and virtual space, allowing users to experience it from any 360-degree free viewpoint. 'MREAL', an MR system developed by Canon, is a video technology that seamlessly merges real video with CG, allowing users to experience it from a free viewpoint. By bringing together optical technology and video technology, 'MREAL' provides solutions to a wide range of fields. https://www.canon-its.co.jp/mreal The Canon Marketing Japan Group is responsible for marketing activities primarily in Japan within the global Canon Group, operating the Canon product business and IT solutions business.